Tarceva does have some side effects. The most debilitating that have come to me so far is extreme fatigue. (This is in addition to the fatigue I have been dealing with already from chemo and have talked about before; it's just more of that same thing.) Since Tarceva works best in an acidic environment, I've also been dealing with severe heartburn. When I contacted the oncology nurse about this, she worked with the pharmacist and they recommended taking Pepcid a couple hours after the Tarceva. That has worked quite well. The third side effect is a rash. This has demonstrated itself like a very bad case of acne on my nose and chin. There are hundreds of whiteheads that sometimes break and bleed a little. I've been prescribed an antibiotic and some cortisone ointment. We'll monitor for five days and decide then if we need to reduce the dosage of the Tarceva.
We saw the oncologist again prior to my chemo infusion on August 26th. Dr. Gilcrest recommended that we talk with a pain doctor on the supportive team at Huntsman Cancer Institute. While the pain across my abdomen is not severe and can be managed okay with Tylenol and an occasional Lortab pill, it is constant; it is always there with every breath. We decided to go with the oncologist's recommendation to see a pain doctor, and Dr. Jill Sindt was able to talk with Kath and me while the infusion was dripping in.
Dr. Sindt really knew her stuff. She'd had studied my chart thoroughly beforehand and took the time to talk through the options, answering every question in a kind way. I felt like she was really trying to understand and relate to all I was going through. After discussing our options, we decided to do an outpatient procedure on Monday morning for a nerve block. They will sedate me and, under X-ray, give me two shots through my back that will actual kill the appropriate nerves. It should last 3-5 months before new nerves grow back. They use the recent CT scans to locate the appropriate nerve bundles and success is high. When I asked her if those nerves are needed, she said that they certainly are in a healthy person; they are the early warning signs of trouble going on. In my case, however, they already know there is trouble and what is affected, so that warning system isn't really needed. This will reduce the pain by at least 50% and pills can be used to manage the rest.
Anyway, things continue to move along. It seems like a lot of treatments, and I'm too fatigued to do a whole lot but just go through them. It's a rough patch that we're going dealing with right now, but I'm confident we'll get through it as the Tarceva and chemo continue to overcome the cancer.
I've had a lot of phone calls and visits over the past several days, as well as friends and neighbors bringing food and good wishes. I'm continually reminded of family's and friends' kindness and support. All the short visits, calls, e-mails, text messages, thoughts, and prayers really do help to keep my attitude in a positive realm. Your service really does make all the difference. Thanks so much.
